Suthep Thaugsuban (L) during an inauguration of Anlong Veng-Siem Reap on 4th July, 2009 (TNA).Published: 19/09/2011
Writer: Saritdet Marukatat
Bangkok Post
Kaeng lieng [samlor korko]_ a spicy-mixed, vegetable soup _ is like a bitter pill for Suthep Thaugsuban, especially the one cooked for him in Ta Kamao.
The allegations over "secret talks" _ one of them with kaeng lieng on the negotiating table at Hun Sen's home in Kandal province _ were unveiled by the Cambodian strongman last week. Mr Suthep, back then the deputy prime minister under the Democrat Party-led government, tried to convince the host to move ahead the plan to bring out oil and gas reserves from the overlapped maritime boundary in the Gulf of Thailand, according to Hun Sen. It was not just one but three alleged attempts by the Democrat veteran politician in different places in addition to his bastion not far from Phnom Penh.
Details unveiled by the Cambodian leader are convincing. He said Mr Suthep came to see him about an oil bloc in the gulf and wanted the Cambodian leader to take over as lead negotiator on the issue from his deputy.Mr Suthep admitted that he had meetings with Hun Sen but denied that they were "secret". Ex-foreign minister Kasit Piromya preferred calling them "informal" not "secret" as Hun Sen was trying to boast and obviously discredit the Democrats.
There is no love-hate relationship between the Cambodian premier and Thailand's oldest party. Love is never on Hun Sen's mind when he's talking about Abhisit Vejjajiva and other Democrat members. Hun Sen is still upset about the long delay of the management plan on Preah Vihear Temple running into opposition by the previous government of Thailand who wanted to see the disputed area become undisputed first by drawing the boundary line once and for all before talking about other things.
But continuing attacks on the Democrats until today are too much. Hun Sen seems to not be able to get over things in the past and his desire for revenge on the Democrats seems to be a never-ending mission.
Still, the lesson Mr Suthep could learn from this is he should not be taking for granted someone he believed he could trust.
Mr Suthep had said that he had close ties with Hun Sen and that this personal relationship would keep relations between Cambodia and Thailand warm under the Democrats' rule. What Hun Sen did showed that what Mr Suthep claimed was wrong.
Hun Sen's "eternal friend" is Thaksin Shinawatra. His second close friend now might be Thaksin's youngest sister and now prime minister, Yingluck. Ms Yingluck was impressed with her chance to talk to him on Thursday and even called the visit a chance to open up "the new chapter" of Thai-Cambodian relations. Thaksin's ongoing visit to Phnom Penh starting Friday is grand. He is being treated with a red carpet visit as a VIP. All are arranged by Hun Sen. They talked and teed off together.
But don't be optimistic that Hun Sen needs nothing from this "eternal friend" and his sister. National interest comes above anything else as far as a government leader is concerned.
Hun Sen hopes that with the Pheu Thai Party on the driving seat in Thailand, all issues being bogged down will move forward this time. Cambodia expects a U-turn on the Thai position to back the management plan on the overlapping land near the Hindu temple. He is weary of seeing the Thai and Cambodian negotiators quarrel in World Heritage Committee meetings as they did over the past few years.
Topping all desires is the chance to see the two countries agree to dig oil and natural gas from the bottom of the Gulf of Thailand. That means a bunch of cash will come to both countries. The issue came very close to an end when Thaksin was in power until he was unseated by the military in the Sept 19, 2006 coup. For Hun Sen, time to get the issue back on track starts with Ms Yingluck at the helm at the Thai government and Thaksin back to the limelight again.
Hun Sen hopes that Thaksin and Ms Yingluck won't disappoint him. If things go well, one day he probably will invite the two for kaeng liang at his house in Ta Kamao. It will taste much better than the one served to Mr Suthep.
That's for sure.
Saritdet Marukatat is Editorial Pages Editor, Bangkok Post.
Kaeng lieng [samlor korko]_ a spicy-mixed, vegetable soup _ is like a bitter pill for Suthep Thaugsuban, especially the one cooked for him in Ta Kamao.
The allegations over "secret talks" _ one of them with kaeng lieng on the negotiating table at Hun Sen's home in Kandal province _ were unveiled by the Cambodian strongman last week. Mr Suthep, back then the deputy prime minister under the Democrat Party-led government, tried to convince the host to move ahead the plan to bring out oil and gas reserves from the overlapped maritime boundary in the Gulf of Thailand, according to Hun Sen. It was not just one but three alleged attempts by the Democrat veteran politician in different places in addition to his bastion not far from Phnom Penh.
Details unveiled by the Cambodian leader are convincing. He said Mr Suthep came to see him about an oil bloc in the gulf and wanted the Cambodian leader to take over as lead negotiator on the issue from his deputy.Mr Suthep admitted that he had meetings with Hun Sen but denied that they were "secret". Ex-foreign minister Kasit Piromya preferred calling them "informal" not "secret" as Hun Sen was trying to boast and obviously discredit the Democrats.
There is no love-hate relationship between the Cambodian premier and Thailand's oldest party. Love is never on Hun Sen's mind when he's talking about Abhisit Vejjajiva and other Democrat members. Hun Sen is still upset about the long delay of the management plan on Preah Vihear Temple running into opposition by the previous government of Thailand who wanted to see the disputed area become undisputed first by drawing the boundary line once and for all before talking about other things.
But continuing attacks on the Democrats until today are too much. Hun Sen seems to not be able to get over things in the past and his desire for revenge on the Democrats seems to be a never-ending mission.
Still, the lesson Mr Suthep could learn from this is he should not be taking for granted someone he believed he could trust.
Mr Suthep had said that he had close ties with Hun Sen and that this personal relationship would keep relations between Cambodia and Thailand warm under the Democrats' rule. What Hun Sen did showed that what Mr Suthep claimed was wrong.
Hun Sen's "eternal friend" is Thaksin Shinawatra. His second close friend now might be Thaksin's youngest sister and now prime minister, Yingluck. Ms Yingluck was impressed with her chance to talk to him on Thursday and even called the visit a chance to open up "the new chapter" of Thai-Cambodian relations. Thaksin's ongoing visit to Phnom Penh starting Friday is grand. He is being treated with a red carpet visit as a VIP. All are arranged by Hun Sen. They talked and teed off together.
But don't be optimistic that Hun Sen needs nothing from this "eternal friend" and his sister. National interest comes above anything else as far as a government leader is concerned.
Hun Sen hopes that with the Pheu Thai Party on the driving seat in Thailand, all issues being bogged down will move forward this time. Cambodia expects a U-turn on the Thai position to back the management plan on the overlapping land near the Hindu temple. He is weary of seeing the Thai and Cambodian negotiators quarrel in World Heritage Committee meetings as they did over the past few years.
Topping all desires is the chance to see the two countries agree to dig oil and natural gas from the bottom of the Gulf of Thailand. That means a bunch of cash will come to both countries. The issue came very close to an end when Thaksin was in power until he was unseated by the military in the Sept 19, 2006 coup. For Hun Sen, time to get the issue back on track starts with Ms Yingluck at the helm at the Thai government and Thaksin back to the limelight again.
Hun Sen hopes that Thaksin and Ms Yingluck won't disappoint him. If things go well, one day he probably will invite the two for kaeng liang at his house in Ta Kamao. It will taste much better than the one served to Mr Suthep.
That's for sure.
Saritdet Marukatat is Editorial Pages Editor, Bangkok Post.
No comments:
Post a Comment